


Am I Reaching You Now?

by shanachie



Series: My Private Nation [5]
Category: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Genre: Boys Will Be Boys, Greg is whiny and clingy, M/M, Nick is almost too good to be true, sometimes Nick’s ideas aren’t the best
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-16
Updated: 2012-10-16
Packaged: 2017-11-16 11:03:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/538744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shanachie/pseuds/shanachie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nick and Greg have figured out their own way to keep the romance alive while they’re both away at college.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Am I Reaching You Now?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [WhoGeek](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhoGeek/gifts).



> I was going to wait until I finished the next story to post this, but it’s taking me a little longer than I thought (not that I’m not working on it—but I’ve done parts of the other ones too meanwhile) so I decided today that I was going to post it. Enjoy!

“Hey, Stokes, you ready to go or not?” Nick looked up from his textbook as one of his frat brothers poked his head into the room. “Please tell me you aren’t going to spend your Friday night studying,” he said at the sight.

Nick chuckled. “No, man. I have plans.” He glanced at the clock. “In about an hour.”

“Are you telling me you have a date? That’s pretty sad that you’re cheating on your boyfriend.”

Nick rolled his eyes. “I have a date _with_ Greg. Just because we’re in different states doesn’t mean we can’t have a relationship. And the really sad part? I’m probably having more sex than you are.”

“How do…” His frat brother shuddered. “Ya know what? I don’t want to know. Have fun. I guess.”

“I’m sure we will,” Nick replied. “Try not to get into trouble that requires bail money.”

The other boy laughed in response, turning as someone farther down the hall yelled for him. “Well, we won’t call you anyway,” he answered. “Later.” He hit the side of the door frame, banging it lightly before jogging away.

Nick shook his head at the reaction, turning back to his textbook. He’d already called his order in to a local burger place and he’d go pick it up in a little bit, making it back just before he was supposed to start the Skype session with Greg.

 

 

“Okay. Food. Movie. Computer.” Greg looked down at himself and realized part of his latest chem experiment was all over the front of his shirt. “Yeah. Not explaining that one,” he decided. As he pulled it off, his computer chimed; signaling that someone wanted his attention on Skype. “Hey,” he said, activating the session.

“Hey, darlin’,” Nick responded. “Uh, G. Where’s your shirt?”

“Took it off. It had an…incident,” Greg answered.

“I’m not even going to ask,” Nick declared. “Aren’t you cold?”

“Engh.” Greg shrugged. “It’s not that bad.”

“Not that I’m not enjoying the view, darlin’, but if you’re cold, put a different shirt on.”

Greg squirmed in his seat. “I kinda can’t.”

Nick rubbed a hand over his face. “I’m sure I’m gonna regret this, but why?”

“Nothing bad, Nick, I just haven’t had time to do laundry. So the answer is I just don’t happen to have any clean shirts. Other than _your_ shirt and we’ve already established I’m not wearing that. So. Shirtless. Until I…” Greg stopped when he realized Nick was grinning at him. “What?”

“Just. You.”

“Just me? You wanna explain that or did you not have anything other than it’s just me?”

Nick laughed outright at the semi-frustrated question. “Just the babble, G. I love that you use thirty words when ten would do just as well. Although I will admit to being a little frustrated that I’m here and you’re there. And I am not making fun of you, I promise.”

“I know.” Greg smiled at him, reaching out as if he could touch Nick through the computer screen. “But while you’re _not_ making fun of me, can we eat? I’m starving.”

“Greg, did you skip lunch again?”

“Not intentionally?”

“Greeeeg. What happened?”

“I had chem lab and I got involved and I was busy and I just forgot. That’s all. It’s not that big of a deal.”

Nick sighed. “Greg. We talked about this. Darlin’, you _need_ to eat. I don’t want you to fade away to nothing.”

“I knoooow. It’s not like I do it on purpose. I just got _busy_.” Greg laid out his dinner and began to pick through it, shoving some of the fries into his mouth.

“Oh, babe.” Nick blew out a breath. “I know. I just. I can’t do anything when I’m there.” He took a bite of his own burger, swallowing before he continued, “I just worry, that’s all.”

Greg grinned around his mouthful of burger. “I know you do. I like that. I’m not complaining, just pointing out that I’m probably not going to change.”

“Eat, Greg,” Nick reminded him when it looked like he was going to get distracted by the conversation. “So what was so distracting in the chem lab?”

Greg’s brown eyes lit up as he began to describe what he had been doing in the lab, his hands and arms waving in large arches as he explained how he had almost blown up the chemistry lab. Nick smiled fondly at the sight, loving the animation that crossed Greg’s features when it was something he truly enjoyed.

The story finished just as Greg finished eating. “So did you get the movie?” he asked as he tossed his trash into the garbage can. He raised his arms in celebration. “Two points!”

Nick shook his head at Greg’s antics. “Yes, I got it. You sure this is going to work?”

“Yeah. I mean. Our window will be smaller, but we should be able to do it. Unless you wanna put the movie on your TV. Or I dunno.”

“What I wanna do is wrap my arms around you and hold you while we watch the movie, but that’s not an option,” Nick answered. “So which do you think will be easier? On the TV or on the computer?”

“You really aren’t making this easier,” Greg pointed out.

“So it might make me an asshole, but I don’t exactly want to make it easier on you when I’m dealing with the same thing.” Nick sighed. “Look. Put the DVD in your player and move over to your bed, okay? I have an idea.”

Greg muttered, but did as Nick requested; finally taking his computer with him and setting it up so he could still see Nick. “What are you thinking?”

“Can you lie down so you can see me and the movie? And do you have an extra pillow? Oh and get my shirt.”

“You couldn’t have thought of that first?” Greg asked as he got back up. For a few minutes Nick couldn’t see anything but Greg’s bed and hear him moving around the room. Quickly he set up his own DVD and stretched out on his bed, waiting for Greg to return. When Greg flopped on the bed again, the t-shirt held in his hands, he asked, “So what’s your idea?”

“Well, I know it’s not the same… But. Cuddle up with your pillow and my shirt, G. It’s the best I can do.”

Greg pouted, even as he arranged them the way Nick explained. “Still not the same.”

“I know, darlin’,” Nick soothed him. “And I’d much rather be there with you. But I can’t. And you can’t. So this will have to do.” He waited another minute. “You settled?”

Greg stretched, arching his back before flopping back on the bed. “Yep. I’m good. You?”

“Huh? Yeah. I’m. What?” Nick shook his head, clearing the images from his brain. “You want to start the movie now?”

“Weeeeell.” Greg slid a hand down his chest, easing it inside his jeans. “We don’t _have_ to watch the movie. We could always…fool around. Since we’re already laying down and all.”

Nick bit his lip, knowing full well Greg’s habit of not wearing anything under his jeans. “Greg,” he said, his voice rough. “We’re going to watch the movie.”

The blonde huffed out a breath and removed his hand, considering for a moment before slipping his fingers into his mouth. “Fine,” he said when he removed them. “I can’t believe you haven’t ever seen Goonies.”

“It just wasn’t one I thought about,” Nick answered. “Ready when you are.”

“On my count then. Three. Two. One. Play.” As Greg said the word, both boys hit play on their remotes, starting the movie.

Nick watched, trying to figure out what was going on as the police cars raced across the screen. “So the point of this is?” he asked.

“Just keep watching,” Greg replied. “If I tell you it won’t be nearly as much fun.” He muttered something else as the scene changed to a house.

“What was that, G?” Nick asked.

“I said although it’s not like I normally see the movie when we watch movies together. So I guess it’s good we’re watching it this way,” Greg answered.

“You really like this movie, huh, G?”

“It’s one of my favorites,” Greg answered. “Hey, shh. It’s almost time for the truffle shuffle.”

“The what?” Nick asked.

“Just watch.” Greg muffled a giggle in his pillow as one of the characters climbed up on top of a rock.

Nick smiled at his reaction, torn between watching him and watching the movie.

 

 

By the time the movie ended, Greg was half-asleep and sprawled out on his bed. Nick smiled at the sight, well used to Greg’s propensity of attempting to take up as much room as he was able. He was torn between just letting Greg go to sleep and waking him up enough to let the other teen know he was going to sign off. Finally he decided he’d get a cranky phone call in the morning if he didn’t wake Greg up. “Hey, G? G? Movie’s over.”

“I knooow,” Greg whined. “I’m not asleep. Doesn’t mean I wanna go.”

“You wanna leave the window open until you do fall asleep?” Nick questioned.

Greg sighed, rolling over so he could look at his computer screen. “No. If I can’t have you, I don’t want just the computer video thingy.”

“Is that a technical term, darlin’?”

“Bite me, Nick.”

“Gladly, darlin’. The next time I see you.”

Greg groaned in reaction. “You’re cruel. You’re a cruel, cruel man.”

“I’m not trying to be. So that was a good movie…”

“Yeah? You liked it?” Greg propped his chin up on his hand.

“It was a good choice, G. Little dated at times, but yeah, I enjoyed it.”

“Good. So did you figure out what you’re doing during break yet?”

Nick sighed. “I wish I could, G, but they scheduled midterms for two weeks after the break. And our weeks don’t line up this year anyway. Don’t you have the week before mine?”

“With the way my classes are…I’ve got almost a week and a half. A couple of my profs already canceled classes figuring kids would skip anyway. And my lab is done for the next two weeks.”

“It’s up to you what you do, darlin’, but I won’t have that much time if any at all,” Nick pointed out.

“It’s not the amount of time, it’s any time I get with you,” Greg responded.

“And it’s also the amount of money you’d spend getting here. I don’t know if I want you to buy a plane ticket, G. Why don’t we think about it and discuss it more, okay? If you can get one on the cheap, then yes, why not?”

“I love that you worry about the money I spend, but it’s not doing me any good to have the money if I’m depressed as hell because I haven’t seen you in months.”

“I know, darlin’. Look we’ll talk about it later, okay? I promise we’ll figure something out.”

“I guess,” Greg answered sullenly.

“Hey. It’s not that I don’t want to see you. I just don’t want you spending a grand on a plane ticket, okay?” Nick said, wishing he could touch Greg because he could see how down he was.

“I know. It just seems like we’re never going to get there,” Greg answered.

“We will,” Nick told him. “We’re a little closer each day. I love you, okay? It is worth it, right?”

“God, I love you so much, Nick. It’s all worth it. It is, I promise. I’m just having a bad moment.”

“I know, babe, I know. And you don’t know how much I wish I was there to hold you…”

Greg flopped back on his bed. “Not. Helping. Nick.”

“Wrap yourself back around your pillow, G. And try to get some sleep. It’s the best I can do right now,” Nick answered.

“I know. I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay?” Greg reached towards the screen and Nick mimicked his movement, until they were as close to touching as they could be. “I love you, okay? Even if I’m a whiny bitch.”

“I love you, too, G. And I hope we can figure out the break. Good night.”

“Night, Nick.” Greg smiled as he closed the Skype window before snuggling down against his pillow with the shirt.

 

 


End file.
